Sevanavank sits on the peninsula that was once the island of Sevan, jutting into the northwestern corner of Lake Sevan. Two of the original three churches survive: Surb Arakelots (Church of the Holy Apostles) and Surb Astvatsatsin (Church of the Holy Mother of God), both dating from the ninth century and built from the dark basalt that characterises Armenian ecclesiastical architecture.
The approach is steep — around two hundred steps from the car park below — but the views from the top justify every one of them. On clear days the whole length of Lake Sevan stretches out, its colour shifting from pale blue near the shore to deep turquoise in the centre. The monastery complex includes a small museum and several khachkars (ornate cross-stones) carved into the hillside around the churches. Monks still live here and services are held regularly.